Amanda Bynes 2003 > Amanda Bynes 1998 > Amanda Bynes 2013
Early 90s computer games: Oregon Trail > Where in the World in Carmen San Diego? > Space Invaders > Doom
Valerie > Kelly > Claire > Brenda > Donna > Emily Valentine ... > Andrea Zuckerman
Kan Jam > cornhole > horseshoes > ladder ball
Wedding seasons: Spring > Summer > Winter > Fall
Bands with geographical names: Chicago > Boston > Alabama > Kansas > Phoenix > Of Montreal > Alabama Shakes > North Mississippi Allstars > Atlanta Rhythm Section > Virginia Coalition
Full beard > mustache > mutton chops > Abe Lincoln > goatee > soul patch
Jack Nicholson 1995 > Meg Ryan > Jack Nicholson 1974 > any other joke Adam Sandler ever did in a movie
Jersey Mike's > Which Wich > Firehouse Subs > Jimmy John's > Quizno's > Subway
Pacey > Dawson > the World
Most hated Duke basketball players: Laettner > Wojo > Hurley > JJ Redick > Greg Paulus > Danny Ferry... > Jay Bilas
Twitter > Facebook > Instagram > your blog > LinkedIn
Judge Judy > People's Court > Judge Greg Mathis > Judge Joe Brown > Eye for an Eye with Judge Extreme Akim
Pudding: chocolate > butterscotch > vanilla > banana cream > tapioca > rice
Most exciting ways to end a sporting event: hoops buzzer beater > walk-off home run > penalty kicks > hockey overtime > college football overtime > NFL overtime
Chappelle Show > Key & Peele > Kroll Show > Saturday Night Live > All That
Fast food sandwich: Chick Fil-A Sandwich > In & Out Double Double > Arby's Beef n' Cheddar > Big Mac ... > Filet O'Fish
Monday, August 26, 2013
Wednesday, August 7, 2013
The 20 Best TV Dramas of My Lifetime
Last week, I posted my list of the 20 best TV sitcoms of my lifetime. Today, we look at TV dramas. The majority of the shows on this list are from the last decade. The Sopranos took TV dramas to a new level, and at this point, I expect every new series on HBO and Showtime to blow me away. We are spoiled by the amount of quality shows on TV right now.
I thought the breakdown of networks with shows on my list was interesting: HBO (6), Showtime (3), AMC (3), Fox (2), FX (2), BBC America (1), The CW/UPN (1), NBC (1), and ABC (1). AMC, which has only aired eight original, scripted series in its history, has more shows on the list than CBS, ABC, and NBC combined.
I should mention that I've never seen Lost, 24, Oz, or The Shield so they are not on the list. I really wanted Dawson's Creek in my top 20, but it barely missed the cut. Sorry, Dawson.
20 Best TV Dramas (I will not give away any spoilers in my rankings.)
20. Big Love: The first of six HBO shows on the list. Polygamist compounds, sister wives, Mormon hardware stores -- this show had it all.
19. Orphan Black: I highly recommend this BBC America series. The first season just ended, and all of the episodes are on demand. 10 episodes were good enough to make this list. Worth watching.
18. The Walking Dead: I did not expect to like a zombie show, but The Walking Dead is entertaining and suspenseful. I'm not sure how many more seasons it can go because there are only so many more places the group can hide.
17. The Tudors: Very entertaining historical fiction. A poor man's Game of Thrones, and I mean that as a compliment.
16. Boardwalk Empire: I've always liked Steve Buscemi in supporting roles, but he excels in the lead role in Boardwalk Empire. If you like the Sopranos, you should be watching this series about mobsters set in Atlantic City during the Prohibition period.
15. Damages: The pilot episode is as good as any pilot I've ever seen. Glenn Close was born to play Patty Hewes. Had some great guest stars in Ted Danson, Martin Short, and John Goodman, among others.
14. Six Feet Under: Morbid subject matter, but it was a very good show. Michael C. Hall was good as a supporting character before landing the lead role in Dexter. The show also launched the career of Rainn Wilson, better known as Dwight from The Office.
13. Veronica Mars: Kristen Bell has been in some bad movies so if you haven't seen Veronica Mars, then you probably don't realize that she's a good actress. From 2004-2007, Veronica was the most bad ass female character on TV. The movie -- fully funded by generous fans of the TV program through a kickstarter -- comes out in 2014.
12. The O.C.: The unlikely duo of brooding Ryan and nerdy/funny Seth made for one of the best bromances in TV history. It had better looking girls, more interesting parental figures, and funnier dialogue than 90210, but it couldn't maintain its excellence for more than two and a half seasons (out of four total seasons). At its best, it was better than 90210. At its worst, it was worse than One Tree Hill. This week marks the 10-year anniversary of the series premiere, and that is not all depressing.
11. Dexter: I've binge-watched all 8 seasons of Dexter over the last three months, and I like it much more than I expected. The show is dark and light-hearted at the same time. Dexter's dark passenger doesn't overshadow the strong supporting cast.
10. Beverly Hill, 90210: The benchmark for high school and college TV dramas. The college years (despite the ridiculous fact that everyone from West Beverly High enrolled at Cal U) put BH9er slightly ahead of The O.C. Pregnancy scares, prom night hookups, house party fires, acoustic guitar serenades, peach pie, and sideburns. Lots of sideburns. What more can you ask for from a teen drama?
9. The Americans: Very impressive first season -- impressive enough to make my top 10 after only one season. Felicity (Keri Russell) is amazing in her role as a KGB spy living in America -- never saw that coming and it makes me wonder if I need to go back and watch Felicity. The performances of Russell of her husband/colleague on the show are so compelling that I actually find myself rooting for the KGB instead of the Americans.
8. The Wonder Years: I referenced this in a post a few years ago, but writer Chuck Klosterman once wrote, "The Wonder Years was the only TV program that allowed me to be nostalgic at the age of seventeen." In my case, The Wonder Years made me nostalgic at age 10. Winnie Cooper was, without a doubt, my first crush.
7. Mad Men: Mad Men can be slow at times, but it is well-written and well-acted. If not for Bryan Cranston in Breaking Bad, Jon Hamm would have several Emmys for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series. Peggy (Elisabeth Moss) is underrated as a lead actress as well.
6. Game of Thrones: Winter is coming. Sometimes it's hard to keep up with all the characters in Game of Thrones -- luckily there are many great characters because the writers are not scared to kill off anyone.
5. Homeland: Angela from My So-Called Life (Claire Danes) is excellent as a CIA agent. 15 years ago, no one could have predicted that Keri Russell and Claire Danes would be the best actresses on TV in 2013. I'll be interested to see what happens in season 3 (starting September 29) given the interesting events that ended season 2.
4. Friday Night Lights: Clear eyes, full hearts, can't lose. Coach and Tami Taylor were the best married couple in dramatic TV history. The show took a risk by bringing in a whole new set of high school characters in season 4 (rather than follow the high school graduates to college), and for the most part the risk paid off. Please watch this show. Texas forever.
3. The Sopranos: Damn, the late James Gandolfini was good as Tony Soprano. The Sopranos deserves a lot of credit for revolutionizing original programming on the premium channels. It wasn't HBO's first original series, but no prior HBO drama series had garnered the critical acclaim or lasted as many seasons as The Sopranos. On this list, there are six HBO series and three Showtime series, and all of them were created after The Sopranos.
2. Breaking Bad: The final half-season starts on August 11 -- that makes me excited and sad at the same time. Walter White is one of the most interesting characters in TV history. A high school chemistry teacher gets cancer and decides to team up with a former student to sell meth to provide for his family after his death. In the first few seasons, we, as viewers, root for Walt to get out of trouble and make money for his family. I would expect that most viewers are now rooting against Walt. The following three things are certain for the final season: Walt, Jr. will eat breakfast onscreen, Marie will wear purple, and Walt will die. What a tremendous show.
1. The Wire: The most compelling drama series of my lifetime. The Wire allowed viewers to follow many different perspectives, including those of law enforcement agents, attorneys, drug dealers, politicians, port workers, teachers, homeless people, and journalists. I have trouble choosing my 10 favorite characters on the show -- there were no weak links in the cast. The acting felt authentic, and that is not usually the case in shows that deal with poverty, drugs, and the police. The series inexplicably did not win a single Emmy award, but being named #1 on this list must be some consolation.
I thought the breakdown of networks with shows on my list was interesting: HBO (6), Showtime (3), AMC (3), Fox (2), FX (2), BBC America (1), The CW/UPN (1), NBC (1), and ABC (1). AMC, which has only aired eight original, scripted series in its history, has more shows on the list than CBS, ABC, and NBC combined.
I should mention that I've never seen Lost, 24, Oz, or The Shield so they are not on the list. I really wanted Dawson's Creek in my top 20, but it barely missed the cut. Sorry, Dawson.
20 Best TV Dramas (I will not give away any spoilers in my rankings.)
20. Big Love: The first of six HBO shows on the list. Polygamist compounds, sister wives, Mormon hardware stores -- this show had it all.
19. Orphan Black: I highly recommend this BBC America series. The first season just ended, and all of the episodes are on demand. 10 episodes were good enough to make this list. Worth watching.
18. The Walking Dead: I did not expect to like a zombie show, but The Walking Dead is entertaining and suspenseful. I'm not sure how many more seasons it can go because there are only so many more places the group can hide.
17. The Tudors: Very entertaining historical fiction. A poor man's Game of Thrones, and I mean that as a compliment.
16. Boardwalk Empire: I've always liked Steve Buscemi in supporting roles, but he excels in the lead role in Boardwalk Empire. If you like the Sopranos, you should be watching this series about mobsters set in Atlantic City during the Prohibition period.
15. Damages: The pilot episode is as good as any pilot I've ever seen. Glenn Close was born to play Patty Hewes. Had some great guest stars in Ted Danson, Martin Short, and John Goodman, among others.
14. Six Feet Under: Morbid subject matter, but it was a very good show. Michael C. Hall was good as a supporting character before landing the lead role in Dexter. The show also launched the career of Rainn Wilson, better known as Dwight from The Office.
13. Veronica Mars: Kristen Bell has been in some bad movies so if you haven't seen Veronica Mars, then you probably don't realize that she's a good actress. From 2004-2007, Veronica was the most bad ass female character on TV. The movie -- fully funded by generous fans of the TV program through a kickstarter -- comes out in 2014.
12. The O.C.: The unlikely duo of brooding Ryan and nerdy/funny Seth made for one of the best bromances in TV history. It had better looking girls, more interesting parental figures, and funnier dialogue than 90210, but it couldn't maintain its excellence for more than two and a half seasons (out of four total seasons). At its best, it was better than 90210. At its worst, it was worse than One Tree Hill. This week marks the 10-year anniversary of the series premiere, and that is not all depressing.
11. Dexter: I've binge-watched all 8 seasons of Dexter over the last three months, and I like it much more than I expected. The show is dark and light-hearted at the same time. Dexter's dark passenger doesn't overshadow the strong supporting cast.
10. Beverly Hill, 90210: The benchmark for high school and college TV dramas. The college years (despite the ridiculous fact that everyone from West Beverly High enrolled at Cal U) put BH9er slightly ahead of The O.C. Pregnancy scares, prom night hookups, house party fires, acoustic guitar serenades, peach pie, and sideburns. Lots of sideburns. What more can you ask for from a teen drama?
9. The Americans: Very impressive first season -- impressive enough to make my top 10 after only one season. Felicity (Keri Russell) is amazing in her role as a KGB spy living in America -- never saw that coming and it makes me wonder if I need to go back and watch Felicity. The performances of Russell of her husband/colleague on the show are so compelling that I actually find myself rooting for the KGB instead of the Americans.
8. The Wonder Years: I referenced this in a post a few years ago, but writer Chuck Klosterman once wrote, "The Wonder Years was the only TV program that allowed me to be nostalgic at the age of seventeen." In my case, The Wonder Years made me nostalgic at age 10. Winnie Cooper was, without a doubt, my first crush.
7. Mad Men: Mad Men can be slow at times, but it is well-written and well-acted. If not for Bryan Cranston in Breaking Bad, Jon Hamm would have several Emmys for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series. Peggy (Elisabeth Moss) is underrated as a lead actress as well.
6. Game of Thrones: Winter is coming. Sometimes it's hard to keep up with all the characters in Game of Thrones -- luckily there are many great characters because the writers are not scared to kill off anyone.
5. Homeland: Angela from My So-Called Life (Claire Danes) is excellent as a CIA agent. 15 years ago, no one could have predicted that Keri Russell and Claire Danes would be the best actresses on TV in 2013. I'll be interested to see what happens in season 3 (starting September 29) given the interesting events that ended season 2.
4. Friday Night Lights: Clear eyes, full hearts, can't lose. Coach and Tami Taylor were the best married couple in dramatic TV history. The show took a risk by bringing in a whole new set of high school characters in season 4 (rather than follow the high school graduates to college), and for the most part the risk paid off. Please watch this show. Texas forever.
3. The Sopranos: Damn, the late James Gandolfini was good as Tony Soprano. The Sopranos deserves a lot of credit for revolutionizing original programming on the premium channels. It wasn't HBO's first original series, but no prior HBO drama series had garnered the critical acclaim or lasted as many seasons as The Sopranos. On this list, there are six HBO series and three Showtime series, and all of them were created after The Sopranos.
2. Breaking Bad: The final half-season starts on August 11 -- that makes me excited and sad at the same time. Walter White is one of the most interesting characters in TV history. A high school chemistry teacher gets cancer and decides to team up with a former student to sell meth to provide for his family after his death. In the first few seasons, we, as viewers, root for Walt to get out of trouble and make money for his family. I would expect that most viewers are now rooting against Walt. The following three things are certain for the final season: Walt, Jr. will eat breakfast onscreen, Marie will wear purple, and Walt will die. What a tremendous show.
1. The Wire: The most compelling drama series of my lifetime. The Wire allowed viewers to follow many different perspectives, including those of law enforcement agents, attorneys, drug dealers, politicians, port workers, teachers, homeless people, and journalists. I have trouble choosing my 10 favorite characters on the show -- there were no weak links in the cast. The acting felt authentic, and that is not usually the case in shows that deal with poverty, drugs, and the police. The series inexplicably did not win a single Emmy award, but being named #1 on this list must be some consolation.
Thursday, August 1, 2013
The 20 Best TV Sitcoms of My Lifetime
Although we are in the golden era of TV, today's sitcoms are usually not as good as the best dramas on TV. Having said that, there have been some great sitcoms in my lifetime. I have set the following ground rules for my rankings:
1) The show must have been created during my lifetime -- so All in the Family, I Love Lucy, and the Andy Griffith Show are out.
2) No animated shows.
3) 30 Rock is not funny.
4) Entourage is not funny unless Ari Gold is speaking.
5) Despite my proclaimed love for Saved By the Bell, Full House, Boy Meets World, and Family Matters, I have used objective criteria to determine that those shows are not that funny.
6) I have not yet seen the new Netflix series Orange is the New Black, but I have heard nothing but good things.
20 Best Sitcoms
20. Weeds: Weeds started out strong and things slowly got weirder and weirder. It still makes the list based on the high (no pun intended) comedy of Uncle Andy and Kevin Nealon. (Video below is potentially NSFW).
19. Eastbound and Down: Kenny F'in' Powers. Enough said.
18. New Girl: I went into this show with low expectations because I thought Zooey Deschanel would be annoying, but New Girl has had two solid seasons. Schmidt and Nick usually steal the show.
17. Golden Girls: Classic and still funny. I love that Betty White is still on TV today.
16. Cheers: Started the Thursday night must-see TV on NBC. Doesn't quite hold up as well as some other sitcoms from the 80s and 90s. Outstanding theme song.
15. Happy Endings: ABC really shit the bed in canceling its 2nd funniest sitcom. At its best, Happy Endings could hold its own with just about any show on the list, but I guess the ratings didn't reflect that.
14. Friends: A little too dramatic at times for me, but it had its moments. Bonus points for Jennifer Aniston and Courtney Cox in their pre-cougar prime.
13. Fresh Prince of Bel-Air: Back when Will Smith was funny. The Carlton dance and the theme song will never get old.
12. Flight of the Conchords: Very little plot, but hilarious original songs. Would have loved to see a third season on HBO.
11. Parks and Rec: In my opinion, Amy Poehler is the funniest woman on TV.
10. Freaks and Geeks: Only had one season before being inexplicably canceled, but it was a great season.
9. How I Met Your Mother: Bob Saget is a horrible storyteller and a worse parent. This series should have ended after 4 or 5 seasons, but it is still entertaining and, at its best, it was really funny. We should finally and mercifully meet the mother in the upcoming final season.
8. Modern Family: Great ensemble cast. Even the kids (except Lily) are hilarious.
7. The Office: Went way down hill after Steve Carell's departure, but the series finale was a good way to go out.
6. The Cosby Show: There's nothing funnier than Bill Cosby talking to kids.
5. The League: This show is a little bit under the radar, but you should be watching it. The first season was a little bit too much about the fantasy football league, but now the show has a good balance between the premise of the fantasy league and the everyday antics of the main characters.
4. It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia: Always Sunny as been described as Seinfeld on crack, and I think that's a good description. It has been a little watered down the past few seasons, but it's still one of the best comedies of the last decade.
3. Curb Your Enthusiasm: No one gets himself in more awkward situations than Larry David, and hilarity almost always ensues.
2. Arrested Development: I would put the first two seasons of Arrested Development up against any sitcom, including my #1 on this list. Season 3 was still funny, but not quite on the same level. Season 4 on Netflix came about 6 years too late.
1. Seinfeld: The show about nothing is in a league of its own. I relate things in my life to Seinfeld on almost a daily basis. The acting, writing, pop culture references, and comedic timing are second to none. Thank you TBS for four reruns a day.
Which shows did I miss?
1) The show must have been created during my lifetime -- so All in the Family, I Love Lucy, and the Andy Griffith Show are out.
2) No animated shows.
3) 30 Rock is not funny.
4) Entourage is not funny unless Ari Gold is speaking.
5) Despite my proclaimed love for Saved By the Bell, Full House, Boy Meets World, and Family Matters, I have used objective criteria to determine that those shows are not that funny.
6) I have not yet seen the new Netflix series Orange is the New Black, but I have heard nothing but good things.
20 Best Sitcoms
20. Weeds: Weeds started out strong and things slowly got weirder and weirder. It still makes the list based on the high (no pun intended) comedy of Uncle Andy and Kevin Nealon. (Video below is potentially NSFW).
19. Eastbound and Down: Kenny F'in' Powers. Enough said.
18. New Girl: I went into this show with low expectations because I thought Zooey Deschanel would be annoying, but New Girl has had two solid seasons. Schmidt and Nick usually steal the show.
17. Golden Girls: Classic and still funny. I love that Betty White is still on TV today.
16. Cheers: Started the Thursday night must-see TV on NBC. Doesn't quite hold up as well as some other sitcoms from the 80s and 90s. Outstanding theme song.
15. Happy Endings: ABC really shit the bed in canceling its 2nd funniest sitcom. At its best, Happy Endings could hold its own with just about any show on the list, but I guess the ratings didn't reflect that.
14. Friends: A little too dramatic at times for me, but it had its moments. Bonus points for Jennifer Aniston and Courtney Cox in their pre-cougar prime.
13. Fresh Prince of Bel-Air: Back when Will Smith was funny. The Carlton dance and the theme song will never get old.
12. Flight of the Conchords: Very little plot, but hilarious original songs. Would have loved to see a third season on HBO.
11. Parks and Rec: In my opinion, Amy Poehler is the funniest woman on TV.
10. Freaks and Geeks: Only had one season before being inexplicably canceled, but it was a great season.
9. How I Met Your Mother: Bob Saget is a horrible storyteller and a worse parent. This series should have ended after 4 or 5 seasons, but it is still entertaining and, at its best, it was really funny. We should finally and mercifully meet the mother in the upcoming final season.
8. Modern Family: Great ensemble cast. Even the kids (except Lily) are hilarious.
7. The Office: Went way down hill after Steve Carell's departure, but the series finale was a good way to go out.
6. The Cosby Show: There's nothing funnier than Bill Cosby talking to kids.
5. The League: This show is a little bit under the radar, but you should be watching it. The first season was a little bit too much about the fantasy football league, but now the show has a good balance between the premise of the fantasy league and the everyday antics of the main characters.
4. It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia: Always Sunny as been described as Seinfeld on crack, and I think that's a good description. It has been a little watered down the past few seasons, but it's still one of the best comedies of the last decade.
3. Curb Your Enthusiasm: No one gets himself in more awkward situations than Larry David, and hilarity almost always ensues.
2. Arrested Development: I would put the first two seasons of Arrested Development up against any sitcom, including my #1 on this list. Season 3 was still funny, but not quite on the same level. Season 4 on Netflix came about 6 years too late.
1. Seinfeld: The show about nothing is in a league of its own. I relate things in my life to Seinfeld on almost a daily basis. The acting, writing, pop culture references, and comedic timing are second to none. Thank you TBS for four reruns a day.
Which shows did I miss?
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